My Nightmare
by mkmkmk
Summary: Everytime I close my eyes, I dream that you're still... -RATED T FOR SWEAR WARNING. Broppy AU. First Trolls fic. Constructive criticism appreciated.-
1. Chapter 1

_**Everytime I close my eyes, I dream that you're still here...**_

* * *

 _A fierce roar rattled the trees, making me stumble as the branches beneath my feet shook violently. There was screaming and yelling all around me, the terror-stricken faces of my friends and loved-ones speeding by as they ran from the hungry beast that had ambled into our sanctuary._

 _The sky was grey and and overcast, the trees casting deep shadows along the forest floor. Just a moment ago, it had been so sunny, so bright, so warm. So happy. Now the air was chilled and sharp, the sun cowering behind the clouds as monsters lumbered through the homes of my people._

 _Catching my foot on a sudden knot, I stumbled, my momentum launching my weight forward. With a strangled shout, I frantically grabbed at the protruding bark of the tree as I slid from the branch I had been running on, skidded down the steep trunk and finally barreling into a mass of leaves at the base._

 _Groaning, I pushed myself up and crawled from the fallen foliage, stood and started to run. My eyes searched through the colorful screaming masses, my heart pounding violently in my chest as my lungs heaved breath after breath. I slowed down, cupped my mouth and called for my father, worry making my voice wobble. A loud, hungry growl rumbled like thunder above me and I froze. I looked up, my body trembling against my will as I took in the sight of a massive, black-bodied creature, it's blood-shot, beady eyes piercing into mine._

 _A Fagrin, my mind panged dully, one of the many incredibly dangerous predators roaming the forest. To have one here, in Troll Village... Even as optimistic as I was, I could feel the chances of survival for this village as well as myself dwindling. The fierce animal grinned at me, sharp, spotted, crooked yellow teeth glowing against its purpled gums. It raised its large, terrible claw and-_

 _"Poppy!" A familiar voice shouted, it's tone thick with desperation as a solid weight collided with my trembling form. My body became weightless, for just a moment, as my vision blurred, my ears ringing. From nearby came a sickening crunch and an animalistic snarl that sounded suspiciously like laughter. I felt my body crash into the ground, leaves and twigs stinging as they scraped against my exposed skin while I rolled to a halt. My limbs trembled as I struggled to rise, to get back up again, my head lifting just enough to see a motionless troll several feet away from where I had just been standing. Cold chills shuddered down my spine as the pit in my stomach sunk low._

 _It was too dark to see who the troll was truly, but the onyx hair and deep grey skin, its color, or lack thereof, unmistakable despite the questionable splatter of a dark liquid against its surface. After all, there wasn't a troll in Troll village who lacked color. Except for one. My heart clenched in my chest as the large creature loomed over him, grumbling and growling while it sniffed the air before fixating its bloodthirsty gaze on the grey troll._

 _ **No** …_

 _The monster snarled irritably and raised it claw again. Time seemed to go in slow motion as it smashed its claw down and-_

* * *

" _Branch!_ " Poppy screamed as she bolted up in bed, her chest heaving as tears prickled at the corners of her eyes, her pink fists curled tightly in her fluffy moss blankets. She took a deep, shuddering breath and buried her head in her hands, struggling to control her breathing.

 _Just a dream._ Well, that was only half true, that she knew very well. Thank God the worst of her nightmare was merely a figment of imagination born from her fears. Trembling slightly, she crawled from her bed and quickly exited her pod, snatching her coat as she slipped away into the darkness.

Her breath came in short pants as she practically sprinted down the bridges and a few shaky walkways leading to the base of the tree, leaping from the last few steps to stumble onto ground level. She slowed her frantic steps then, coming to a stop and resting her hands on her knees as she gasped for air. She glanced up, seeing the carefully hidden hospital hut just a few yards away, renewed determination making her straighten and walk briskly towards the bushes concealing the building.

She had to get there.

She _had_ to see if he was alright.

 _It was her fault he was there anyway._

Poppy sniffed and rubbed away prickling tears before they could gather enough to fall. She had someplace to be after all, no more distractions.

The princess padded quietly through the dim hallways, following the familiar patterns on the floor to his room, her throat closing as she listened to the soft breaths and snores of the other current hospital residents, guilt squeezing her heart within her chest.

So many people hurt, all because she didn't listen to him and the warnings he had given. And now he was here too, because of her ignorance, as well as the rest of Troll Village, damaged and in danger because of her stupidity.

Poppy harshly bit the inside of her cheek to avert her thoughts. She shouldn't dwell on those kinds of thoughts. Not now at least. She had to focus on how to fix the problems that faced her people now! _Problems that she caused_ … She shook her head.

 _But first…_

The princess came to a halt before the curtain of interwoven vines separating her from the troll she'd ventured through sleepless night after sleepless night to see, even just for a moment. Pushing aside the vines, she slipped into the room, the curtain of vegetation swishing quietly back into place as she crossed the the distance between her and…

 _Branch_.

She took a shaky breath and sat in the chair she had occupied every night for the past four days, anxiously watching the steady rise and fall of the grey troll's chest with a wide-eyed expression, her fists twisting at the folds of her dress. She could feel some of her anxiety melt away as she gazed at him, reassured that he was truly alright. Not at all what her latest nightmare alluded to. Branch continued to sleep on, blissfully unaware of her sudden presence and the turmoil that roiled within her at the very sight of him.

His expression was soft and open in his sleep, lax of the tension and displeasure that usually dominated his expression. He looked younger, she realized as she considered his features. _Nicer too_ , she added to herself, inwardly flushing at the thought. But her eyes returned to his chest, gazing at the criss-crossing pattern of his white bandages, her sight trailing along the splash of soft reds and pinks that marked the wound he bore to save her life. A look of discomfort flitted over his face for a brief moment and she sucked in a breath. He shifted beneath his covers, his head slightly turning towards the princess with a sigh. Poppy exhaled shakily, relieved that the other troll didn't wake. Goodness, it would have been so awkward to have to explain herself…

"Poppy?"

She spoke too soon. Grimacing inwardly, the pink troll flicked her eyes to meet Branch's sleepy gaze, giving him a sheepish smile after a moment of hesitation.

"Hey." The grey troll blinked at her for a moment, clearly confused before he sat up slowly, propping his elbows up beneath him, wincing numerous times as he went.

"What are you doing here?" He strained, placing a hand on his chest. "Why aren't you in your pod?" Her gaze trailed away from him, her cheeks lightly flushing with embarrassment.

"Oh, heh, y'know…" She mumbled, shrugging a shoulder as she laughed awkwardly, panic level steadily rising, making her stomach twitch and flop anxiously. She had to get out of there. _Fast_. Branch raised a curious brow.

"No, I don't," he deadpanned. Poppy gulped and stood, flashing him the sweetest smile she could manage.

" _Well, I gotta go_."

"Poppy-"

"Good night, Branch!" And she was gone, rushing back into the quiet night as the grey troll looked on in utter bafflement.

* * *

 **A/N: All rights reserved. _Trolls_ does not belong to me and I make no profit from he writing of this story. The song " _My Nightmare_ " belongs to _Get Scared_.**

 **I own only Mint the Doctor, as she is a reoccurring OC throughout several of my stories, some of which are not published, were deleted, or forgotten.**

 **Just a precaution to any readers: I update spontaneously. Chapters may be up in two days or two weeks or not at all. Depends of how often you guilt-trip me into writing, mainly through reviewing or PMing me. A heartfelt beg usually inspires me enough to write and ideas for my story usually get me back into the story. Flames shut me down unless I'm feeling sassy when I read it, then I'll update out of spite and point out the asshole with fiery retribution in my hands.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Every time I fall asleep, I scream 'cause you're not there...**

* * *

The next morning dredged up memories from the previous night as Branch struggled to rise from his bed, fighting to ignore the shooting pains that bolted like lightning across his bandaged chest. He wheezed a sigh through his teeth, frowning in thought while he settled himself against the headboard.

What had Poppy been doing? Watching him while he was sleeping? A very unnerving concept, he knew. One he really hoped wasn't the case. If it was, the princess had better give him a really, _really_ good reason as to why the next time he encountered her.

Why?

 _Well..._

Watching people _sleep_ is a _little_ _**creepy**_.

Branch shook his head, shoving the thoughts away as his stomach grumbled with hunger. Pushing away the covers with his feet, the grey troll carefully maneuvered himself to the edge of his bed, shakily slipping from the mattress to the floor. His feet wobbled where they rested, and he grimaced as he went to stand.

He faintly remembered the events before getting hurt, how he had shoved Princess Poppy away from a massive fagrin before a sharp, white-hot pain nearly rendered him unconscious. And then… Branch frowned again, his jumbled memories seeming to slip from his grasp.

What happened after that?

He was sure he did _something_ , but what was it?

With a humph, he abandoned the train of thought before gingerly making his way from his room. He would try to remember later. For now, he was _starving_.

Roughly ten minutes of limping through twisting hallways, five more minutes of rest when the burning of his wound became too great to bear, brought him face to face with a small, mint green troll with a white headband and what appeared to be a _labcoat_. A doctor, Branch remembered. Or maybe a nurse? The troll glanced at him as he trudged by, before doing a double take.

" _Hey!_ " She cried shrilly, her expression immediately contorting in outrage, "what are you doing out of bed?!" Branch flinched away in surprise, taken aback.

"H-huh?"

"You! Go back to your room!" She hissed, making a shooing gesture at him. "I swear, if you open up those stitches of yours again, I'm gonna have you keelhauled!" Had the minty troll not been a good inch shorter than him, nor had a voice higher pitched than some children, nor was wholly unintimidating, he might have been scared. Clearly that wasn't the case, so in _lieu_ of feeling fear, he merely stared at her blankly. The little doctor gave a short, irritated sigh.

"What?" She huffed, "Are you hungry or something? Is that why you left your room?" Branch bit the inside of his cheek, suddenly feeling awkward and embarrassed, irritation twinging at the head. He nodded slightly, glancing away from her scathing glare. She gave a grunt of acknowledgement and shooed at him again.

"I'll bring over some berries and grains when I go change your bandages. Now scram!" She ordered, jabbing her pointer finger back down the hallway. Huffing beneath his breath, Branch turned and limped down the hallway as fast as he could, his injury throbbing annoyingly at every movement. Seeing his obvious discomfort, the smaller troll loudly added, "And be careful!"

Branch rolled his eyes and slowed his pace, feeling his chest protest against the previous amount of exertion. Trudging irritably into his room, the grey troll eased himself onto the bed, laid back and let his eyelids droop. He'd barely done anything that day, a mere twenty minute walk and yet, he felt as if he'd just run a marathon. Which made absolutely no sense! He wasn't _that_ hurt!

 _Okay, that might not be true._ Branch didn't really know the extent of his injuries, in all honesty. Not that he really had the chance to ask anyway. He sighed, rubbing his face with a groan.

A few minutes later, the little green troll rolled a trolley into the room, food piled high upon its surface. She was scowling, pieces of her hair drooping and dangling in front of her face. Branch quickly made to sit up, gasping at the bolt of pain that ran through his chest at the movement. He collapsed back onto the bed as the doctor troll groan irritably.

"Don't move," she commanded as she padded over, a few large berries cradled delicately in her little arms before they were dropped unceremoniously onto his leafy blankets. The mint green troll sniffed and grunted "eat" before wandering away and pilfering through the drawers of her trolley.

Branch obeyed swiftly, snatching the blueberries from the pile first, sniffing them for poison before scarfing them down. He sighed with relief as the tangy, sweet juice ran down his throat, his tongue sifting through the pulp to weed out the seeds and spit them out. Next he grabbed the strawberries, and the process repeated until all that was left was a sunflower seed, which the doctor plucked from his fingers and devoured. At his look of indignation, she gave him a deadpan look that could have rivaled his own.

"Hey, I haven't eaten tripe all morning and sunflower seeds are my favorite. You can eat more later, but for now I gotta change your bandages," she said, holding up a massive wheel of white cloth. Branch grunted in reply.

Several swears, alcohol stings, bandaging, badgering, and many angry mutters later, Branch was glaring up at the ceiling with a new set of clean bandage wrap. His injury throbbed steady, pulsing with heat and agony. The disinfectant really went all out on his poor little gash, stinging so sharply he had actually cried out and flinched heavily away, prompting the irritated little mint troll to snap and yell at him for three minutes straight.

"Thanks," he ground out to the doctor, turning his head to gaze at her. She glanced back.

"Yeah, no problem," she returned, tipping her hat and wandering to the door. She gave him one last look before leaving, saying, "If I catch you outside your room again today, I might not be so nice when I change your bandages again, clear?"

"Transparent," he monotoned with a roll of his eyes. The mint troll humphed and left, the curtain of vines swishing quietly in her wake. Staring after her, Branch gave snort.

" _That_ was what she called _nice_?" He asked beneath his breath to nobody in particular. "Man, I can't _wait_ to see one of her bad days."

* * *

 **Disclaimer: Yada, yada, yada we get it.**

 **A/N: In addition to the update frequencies mentioned in the last chapter, chapter lengths also vary. Honestly, everything about everything really depends on if I'm feelin' it or not. Unfortunately for everything about everything, I'm grotesquely unorthodox and rather unpredictable even for myself.**


	3. Chapter 3

**_This is my nightmare._**

* * *

 _Screaming and yelling rang throughout Troll Village, nearly drowning out the sound of my own racing heartbeat as I ran. My sights were set on the massive Fagrin currently sniffing at the small huddle of troll children cowering behind one of the many bushes scattering the clearing. I lept from the branch I was running on, whipping my hair toward another branch just ahead of me and propelled myself toward the moss-covered fallen log just left of the creature's probing snout._

 _From my jacket, I withdrew two small spheres, pale orange in color, barely larger than my palm. My secret weapon, little balls filled with every substance Fagrin despised most. Landing with a roll on the decaying tree, I quickly clambered up towards the monster's head, hid behind the stump of a tree limb before I jumped up threw my makeshift bombs as hard as I could. Clouds of dust poofed into the air and the fagrin roared in outrage, rearing back on its hind legs to swat at the air with its claws. Snorting and snarling at the rancid substance, the creature turned and disappeared into the forest._

 _I hopped out from my hiding place, sliding down the side of the fallen trunk onto the ground near the cowering troll children, grimacing at the smell my bombs left in the air. No matter. It would fade away soon enough. Shaking my head, I hurried into the bush, my sudden appearance making a few the children yelp in surprise._

 _"Hey, it's that grey guy!"_

 _"It's Branch!"_

 _"Branch saved us!" Came their softly uttered exclamations as I straightened._

 _"Is everyone alright?" I asked seriously, my gaze scanning the expanse of hopeful, colorful faces. Some glanced around, other gazed back at me, unsure._

 _"Most of us aren't injured, but Fusia and Buttercup got pretty banged up," one of the older children spoke up after a bit of hesitance, gesturing towards two younger trolls. I fixed my gaze on them, cringing inwardly at the sight of their scrapes and bruises, some of which were still bleeding. They looked up, fear, wear, and fatigue etched into their youthful faces. Cuts littered their faces, arms, and legs, their clothes ragged and torn. I bit the inside of my cheek, frowning in thought for a moment. I turned my head away, peering through the brush to scan the clearing._

 _I could see the hospital just a few yards away, a tremendous stretch to cover, especially for injured children. But Fusia and Buttercup needed medical attention immediately. If I ran fast enough, I could get them to the hospital without too much difficulty. But the chances of there being another fagrin nearby… My eyes narrowed with determination. These children needed help. And I was their only chance. A soft breeze rustled the bush we huddled in, making a few of the young trolls shiver. I crouched and brought my gaze back to the troll children._

 _"Alright, this is what's gonna happen: I'm gonna take Buttercup and Fusia with me to the hospital. The rest of you are going to stay here until someone gets you. Right now, I've got a pretty good shot at getting those two," I gestured to the injured trolls, "to the hospital. Are we green?" The children nodded, huddling further together as I lifted the much smaller Fusia up onto my head and hid her in my hair, taking care to not touch her injuries as the onyx strands curled protectively around her tiny form. Buttercup crawled into my arms and held on firmly, her body quaking slightly._

 _"You ready?" I asked her softly. The creamy yellow troll looked up at me with big, watery eyes, fear shining clearly through her soft turquois irises. Her eyebrows pinched and she nodded._

 _"Yeah." I sighed softly and held her more firmly as Fusia shifted slightly in my hair._

 _"Alright, let's go." I crept out of the bush, my gaze sweeping up and down the seemingly empty clearing. The coast seemed clear and relief filled me as I stared to run. The wind rushed past my ears, the ground barely touching my feet as Buttercup hid her face into my chest, eyes shut tight and body tensed. Three yards, two yards, I was almost there! I could barely feel the burning protests of my muscles as I rushed into the brush concealing the hospital from prying eyes. Seeing the bright colors of other trolls, I called out._

 _"Hey!" I yelled, watching as some of their heads snapped towards mine. I slowed to a stop then as doctors, nurses, and other trolls ran to me, my chest heaving breath after breath. I set Buttercup down and worked to untangle Fusia from my hair. As I placed Fusia onto the ground, Buttercup gasped and shot to her feet._

 _"Branch! Look! It's Princess Poppy! She's in trouble!" The little yellow troll tugged at my arm, frantically pointing back through the brush. I turned quickly, my eyes wide and a bolt of fear shot through me. Poppy?_

 _Sure enough, there she was roughly a yard away in the middle of the clearing, staring horrorstruck at the largest fagrin I had ever seen in my life. Poppy! My blood turned cold, and I moved without thinking, dashing through the brush once more towards the pink troll. Her beautiful, magenta eyes were bugged out in shock, her lips parted, and body frozen._

 _The fagrin seemed to smile at her, a low rumbling vibrating deep within its throat as it raised its wickedly sharp claws with intent to kill. I pushed myself faster, my muscles straining to meet my demands. I have to save her… I had to._

 _"Poppy!" I shouted as I propelled myself through the last few inches, arms outstretched as I shoved her as hard as I could as the monster brought down itsclawed paw. A hot, blinding white pain sliced into me, catching me mid-air and throwing me off to the side._

 ** _Poppy..._**

 _I collided with ground sharply, rolling to my feet before my knees buckled, a shuddering cough rattling my chest, my heart thrumming wildly in my chest as my frantically running adrenaline forced me to my feet. The fagrin snarled in anger and crouched, preparing to pounce, its muscles bulging as they went taut._

 ** _I will fight for you._**

 _I growled at the beast in return, grabbing the last of my bombs from my vest while I tensed in my stance, my face screwing up in anger and determination. With a roar, the fagrin pounced as I dodged to the side, pelting it in the side of the head with one of my bombs. It let out a scream, clawing at its face as it snarled and spat, rubbing its head against the ground._

 ** _I will die for you._**

 _It reared up, turning a furious glare to me, its claws digging into the ground. It lunged for me, roaring viciously, teeth bared and ferocious. I threw myself aside, narrowly evading the attack as my chest seared with agony. A cry tore from my throat as I skidded to a stop, my final bomb clutched firmly in my hand as my lungs heaved with effort, my vision spotty and blurring._

 ** _I will..._**

 _The fagrin slid around, powerful paws tearing at the ground as it bolted back toward me with a enraged screech. With the last of my strength, I threw the bomb. I collapsed to the ground, the stabbing pain finally becoming too much for me to bear._

 ** _I will._**

 _Dull roaring and a faint, warbling screaming was the last I heard before a wave of black drowned me into unconsciousness._

* * *

 **Disclaimer: Repeat Chapter 1 disclaimer please.  
**

 **A/N: I suck at writing and I hate myself, but in the _best_ way, (seriously banking on the "there's a fine line between love and hate" thing here guys).**

 **Also I never update this much in one week, this is a record for me.**


	4. Chapter 4

_**My Paradise is stripped and I'm weak. You'll never know how much it kills me.**_

* * *

 _She looks tired._ Branch noted later that afternoon as he looked through his window, idly watching the latest flash mob take place. Princess Poppy danced at the forefront of the swaying crowd, her sweet voice belting out uplifting lyrics that, for some inexplicable reason, failed to reach her eyes.

" _You can take everything we have!_

 _You can break everything we are!_

 _Like we're made of glass!_

 _Like we're made of paper!~_ "

The words spoke of a fighting spirit, of rising beyond loss, of surviving and becoming stronger, but her eyes reflected the very same guilt and sadness he saw in a mirror. Her skin, once a pink so vivid it glowed, had paled, greyed even, and no longer shone brighter than daylight. Her hair seemed to droop with fatigue, as if it too, along with its owner, was exhausted. He frowned, wondering why, his mind flitting back to the night before, remembering faintly the gleam of hatred in her eyes.

A gleam that was not directed at him, of that he was intensely relieved.

But directed at herself, a notion which troubled him.

 _Why?_

" _Go on and try to tear us down!_

 _We will be rising from the ground!_

 _Like a skyscraper._

 _Like a skyscraper!~_ "

Branch sighed. Guilt? Blame? Self-hate? Words to describe his own inner turmoil, yes, but Poppy? Poppy, the overly-optimistic, bouncy, bubbly, carefree troll princess? The grey troll shook his head. No, it should be impossible. Poppy was happy, she always was. Nothing could bring her down. Not even him, with his biting words and frigid persona, could make her doubt herself.

Then why did she look so...grey?

The music came to a slow halt as the song ended and soon the crowd dispersed, faint, yet exuberant chatter taking its place. Poppy was glancing around, looking unsure and conflicted as her eyes scanned the area. Seeing this, Branch did too, taking in the smiling, determined faces of the Troll Village.

That was a good sign, Branch believed. Especially since they had all looked so somber earlier that day. Poppy looked relieved too as she heaved a sigh and wiped her brow before striding away and out of sight. Branch gave a soft hum of thought before laying back down in his bed, his chest aching slightly from the movement.

He grimaced.

That thing was really annoying.

* * *

Poppy searched through the diminishing crowd for her father, brow furrowed in thought as she caught a glimpse of a familiar head of pink and grey hair. She hurried closer, dodging any who crossed her path until she came face to face with her father.

"Dad," she called, watching as he turned to meet her gaze, eyes lighting up at the sight of her. Poppy cleared her throat, an accomplished smile on her face. "I got word from some of the villagers that repairs have nearly been completed. Just a few more pods need replacing before Troll Village is 100% ship-shape!" King Peppy nodded at that before he gazed down and scratched his chin in thought.

"I'm relieved that the village isn't as damaged as I once thought, but there is quite a bit that still needs to be done," he replied. "I have realized now, what with this recent attack, that while the troll people may be safe from bergens, we are still being threatened by other creatures of the forest. That being said, things must be done to further ensure our safety."

Poppy frowned. "Like what?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. Peppy smiled gently at his daughter.

"Some basic defenses for the time being: planting leafy bushes to provide some extra cover," he explained, "staking out sentries to take watch several shifts per night, or surrounding ourselves with some sort of repellant similar to that which Branch had used in driving away those awful fagrins!" He shuddered at the word. "Terrible beasts they are! Oh, that dear boy deserves far more than that measly little thank you I'd given him a few days back. Ah, well, at least he'd accepted my card." Poppy grimaced at the thought of what might have happened to it.

"Dad, I don't think Branch likes cards…"

"Really? The last time I visited, it was still where I had left it." Poppy blinked in surprise as Peppy continued to muse on.

 _Branch actually kept a card?_

 _Imagine that,_ she thought, _it's almost as if he only rejects...my cards…_ The thought stung a lot more than she expected, but she brushed it off because the grey troll did save her life after all. He must have cared for her at least a _little_ to risk his life for the sake of hers, right? The princess breathed a sigh through her nose.

"Oh, I have a great idea!" Poppy raised her gaze at her father's words. "Why don't you go visit him? I'm sure he wouldn't mind the company and you could see if he could provide any input to aid in resolving this situation!" the king said jovially, clearly immensely pleased with the idea, "I must say, that boy surely does know his stuff!" The pink troll blanched and gulped.

"Dad, I don't think-"

"Very well, off you go!"

"Dad-"

"Bring him some blueberries! Dr. Mint said that he likes them!" King Peppy gave his daughter a light push towards the blueberry bushes and she had no choice but to comply, biting her lip to hold back a negative groan.

 _Stay positive, Poppy_ , she thought to herself, forcing the glumness from her expression as she trotted beneath the berry bushes. Reaching her hair up, she pulled herself onto one of the thin, thorny branches and quickly plucked an armful of blueberries before lowering herself to the ground. Heaving a sigh, she continued on towards the hospital, careful not to drop the blue fruit.

Troll Village was incredibly quiet for this time in the afternoon, but that was understandable, all things considered. Things tended to quiet down for a bit after a flash mob, and with the recent events taking place that week, both good and bad, it wasn't too much of a surprise that the village had bouts of standstill silence. Poppy softly began to hum to herself, a genuine smile soon fitting itself on her face as the day's bright sunlight warmed her skin. It wasn't long before her positivity coaxed her lips to unlock.

" _Hey Jude, don't make it bad._

 _Take a sad song and make it better._

 _Remember to let her into your heart,_

 _Then you can start to make it better.~_ "

Singing had always helped Poppy relax, especially the slower tempoed songs, like the one she was currently singing. The occasional troll that trotted by joined it, and kept singing even as they walked out of earshot. Even a mass of troll children paused in their excited chatter to sing with the princess softly, their voices high and sweet and young.

" _Hey Jude, don't be afraid._

 _You were made to go out and get her._

 _The minute you let her get under your skin,_

 _Then you begin to make it better._ "

The clump of bushes leading to the hospital were closing on her as her voice came to a fluttering halt, a foreboding sense of doom descending upon her. Behind her, lilting voices continued to warble and she found herself torn. She could just drop these berries and go sing with the rest of the village, but that would mean forsaking her duty as a princess and disobeying the wishes of her father, all for one injured, grey, grumpy, and intimidating troll. Regardless, leaving was a very appealing option, for visiting Branch would lead to asking questions, such questions would get onto the topic of her night escapades to his room where she would either be forced to admit her struggles and anxiety or up and leave like she had done last night. The latter scenario was very unattractive in her mind's eye.

Poppy blinked, realizing that she had been standing at the hospital entrance for a solid five minutes. Grimacing, she entered the establishment, hoping for the best.

* * *

 **Disclaimer : _Trolls_ belongs to... _Dreamworks_ I think. " _Skyscraper_ " belongs to Demi Lovato (not sure if I spelled that right), " _My Nightmare_ " belongs to _Get Scared_ , and " _Hey Jude_ " belongs to either _The Beatles_ before they broke up or _John Lennon_ after _The Beatles_ broke up.**

 **If anyone has any questions about the story such as where and when it takes place, just ask. This is an Alternate Universe so the setting somewhat differs from the movie. Due to differences in settings come differences in character, which is a basically a flimsy cover-up for probable OOCness.**

 **Anyway, R &R and feel free to tell me how I did!**


	5. Chapter 5

_**As you fade right behind my eyelids, I get the feeling it's** so familiar **,**_ **_but I can't do a thing to stop this now._**

* * *

"Planting additional brush to the outskirts of the village would hide us better, but it would also take a long time to grow and care for the plants. Not to mention the trouble it'll bring when it eventually overgrows and makes it hard to venture out into the rest of the forest," Branch explained as Poppy's excitement about the idea faltered somewhat. Seeing her obvious deflation, Branch smirked and shook his head at her. "It's a good idea," he amended, "but it requires careful planning and execution to minimize the dangers it would have on our civilization. You should examine all your options first, _then_ revisit those that hold the most promise for achieving your means as well as providing extra support for things we may not have thought we needed to support." Poppy nodded firmly, storing the information away to mull over later as she shifted in her seat on the edge of his bed.

"But what about that repellant you used to drive the fagrins away? Surely we could construct containers for small amounts of it and stake them around Troll Village?" Poppy inquired, only to be met with another negative shake of the head.

"The repellant I made has toxic components within its makeup that are act as poison to some trolls, a few of which, should they contact too much of it, will die." Poppy gasped and covered her mouth as Branch continued unabashed. "These toxins are what affect the fagrins most and cause them illness too, however, they don't disable them immediately. The other substances in the mixture are mainly smelly and gross things, like dried-out stink bug fluid-"

"Yeck!" Poppy gagged. Branch nodded in agreement.

"-and grease bug guts, and are the sole reason why they run away," he finished. Poppy thought she might hurl.

"You touched those things?" She asked, straining somewhat. Branch shrugged.

"With gloves, of course," he replied, adding, "I'm not disgusting." Poppy breathed a sigh, a smile curling at the corner of her mouth at his grimace.

"That's good," she mumbled before tilting her head in question as a sudden thought struck her, "What happens to the fagrins after they get hit with your repellant?" Branch look immediately uncomfortable, and Poppy raised a brow.

"Well," he started, "this is all hypothetical, but what I think will happen is that they'll get sick. A weaker or younger fagrin would have slimmer chances of survival than a larger, stronger one, who would better be able to fight off the poison." Sadness twinged in the back of her mind.

"Oh." Another thought. "How do you know so much about fagrins?" Branch looked startled for a second before he looked aside and bit his lip.

"Sometimes I leave Troll Village for a few days to get away from all the noise," he admitted quietly, sounding embarrassed.

"Really?" Poppy asked, intrigued. "What do you do?" She leaned forward, eyebrows raised in interest. Branch shrugged a shoulder awkwardly, looking down at his hands.

"Well, sometimes I bring a journal and record what I see," he mused, "or I'll try and find weird rare stuff, or just enjoy the quiet of the forest." He glanced up to see her gazing at him with wonder, a flush of warmth promptly darkening his cheeks. He gulped and reached up to rub the back of his neck, his throat becoming drier by the second and heat creeped up to tinge his ears a faint blue.

"S-sometimes while I'm out there, I see animals. Usually they're small and harmless things that won't bother you unless you bother them," Branch continued, "but other times they're large, aggressive predators, like fagrins or wingdingles or tobberwocks. When that happens, I try and hang around to learn as much as I can about them. That's how I found that fagrins hate stinky things and were susceptible to poisons that we are moderately tolerant to."

"Wow," Poppy breathed, "Do they ever spot you?" The grey troll shook his head.

"I'm usually pretty good at staying out of the way of creature like them, and since they're 50 times bigger than me, they're pretty easy to spot. There were a few times when one of them might catch a glimpse of me and things got a bit scary, but, as you can see, I managed to get away relatively unscathed." Branch managed a smirk at the princess and she beamed back, giggling softly. His heart jumped at that, setting a pounding rhythm within his chest, an odd feeling of giddiness making his stomach do somersaults. Startled by the sudden onslaught of positive emotion, Branch coughed away his smile, dropping his gaze from the princess's smile and turning a deaf ear to her adorably infectious laughter before he could join in.

"W-well, you, ah, have my input," he stumbled out, his fingers fidgeting uncomfortably, "er, was there anything else you needed?" Poppy must have sensed his discomfort, for she gave a gentle smile and shook her head no.

"I really appreciated your help, Branch. I'm not sure what I would've done without you," she said sincerely. His heart clenched and his throat closed up. Was it always this hot in his room? He probably should've opened up a window or something.

"No problem, Poppy," was all he managed to get out without sounding like a complete idiot. The princess looked like she wanted to say something more, but her wrist beat her to it.

 _Ding!_ The princess' Hug Time bracelet chimed melodiously. Not a moment passed before he felt the warmest pair of arms slip around him to give him the sweetest, most gentle hug he had ever been given. Branch's eyes flew wide open as Poppy nuzzled her cheek into his, shock leaving his body frozen and head blank. The scent of strawberries seemed to swamp his senses, the warmth of her body soaking deep into his bones as his eyes unconsciously fluttered shut, his thoughts, feelings and emotions getting lost in the torrent of warmth and security Poppy's presence provided. His chest throbbed in faint protest to the embrace, a cry that was drowned out by the fiery thrumming of his blood and the ever frantic racing of his heart.

For a mindless moment, Branch was worried the princess might hear the thundering against his ribcage, and his arms rose with the intention of pushing her away before he could embarrass himself further. His body seemed to have other ideas however, for instead of nudging her away, his arms wound around her with a gentleness that mirrored her own. He could feel her smile against his shoulder.

"Thank you, Branch," she murmured into his ear. All he could do was hope she didn't feel him shudder.

"Y-you're welcome," came his barely audible reply as he forced himself to extract himself from her before the moment became too much for him to handle. She too rose from the embrace, her bright gaze and pretty smile ever warmer as she slid off his bed. For half a second, she seemed to falter, her expression falling fractionally before her lifted herself up again.

"See you later, Branch," she said cheerfully, giving him a friendly wave as she turned for the door, "and get well soon!" And then she was gone, the vines swishing behind her.

Branch felt the faintest sense of _deja vu._

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer on you! Disclaimer on your cow! Disclaimer on your whole family!**_

 **Mushu (kinda), _Mulan_**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own _Trolls_ , nor any of the characters featured in this fic (except maybe Mint), I make no profit from the creation of this slop that vaguely resembles legitimate literature, nor do I own the epic song " _My Nightmare_ " which is rightfully owned by the band _Get Scared._**

 **Was that last part too gooey? I don't know. Branch is a poetic soul so I'm kind of iffy about what I'm supposed to do with his character there. Oh well...whatever.**

 **Also, that reviewer (a guest to be percise) who mentioned that my fic didn't "bump up" as they had phrased it, I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do about that and I apologize if it have inconvenienced any of you in some way, shape, or form. I'm willing to bet it was either a random system blurb by the site, or my crappy internet connection tampering with my ability to update as per usual.**

 **(I'm also assuming that by "bump up" they mean that either my story wasn't registered as "recently updated" in the browsing section for Trolls, or it didn't appear as "recently updated" in someone's favorites section.)**

 **Anyway, feel free to R &R and tell me how I did! Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**The wake of change is crashing. The last of our fate is rusting. I hope I never wake up. It's not enough.**

* * *

Poppy jovially pranced down the hallways, feeling almost jittery with an uncontainable sort of happiness as she peered into every room to check on the other patients. Goosebumps prickled excitably along her arms, her bright smile stretching across both her cheeks as her form emitted a vibrant pink glow of exuberance. Her belly seemed to flutter with excitement, and her eyes glittered and shone with glee. She had never been this happy.

Letting a curtain drop into place, Poppy gave a contented sigh as she thought back to her visit. Branch had been surprisingly pleasant, friendly even. She should discuss defense mechanisms with him more often, she realized as she exited the hospital at last. Clearly it puts him in much better moods compared to party invitations. He had even returned her hug! Heat prickled at her cheeks as her smile became wobbly with a flush of embarrassment.

Who knew he could be so...warm? Warm… What was it with her, associating warmth with everything that he is and does? _Sure_ , he seemed to excrete that caring sort of heat when he hugged her, _sure_ , it felt as if his heart were a pulsing furnace against his chest, _sure_ , even his gentle breaths felt hot and exciting against her skin, and _sure_ , she may or may not have thoroughly enjoyed his embrace. So what? Maybe he was warming up to her?

Agh, there it was again.

Poppy groaned internally. She had hugged him and smiled at him and had been as friendly as she could manage. He had hugged her back, offered that adorably shy smile and had been kind and polite in return. Perhaps he finally wanted to be friends? _Yes!_ He wanted to be friends! Excitement bubbled back up within her before a strange, low emotion ferociously tamped in back down.

 _Just friends?_

The smile that had been creeping up onto her face fell immediately as a lowness swirled in the pit of her stomach, her brow knitting in thought. She felt disappointed about that, for some reason. Urg! She shouldn't be! She should be happy that Branch wanted to be friends with her! And she was happy! Yes, she wa-

 **Thud.**

" _Ow!_ " Poppy fell backward and plonked onto the ground. She'd walked right into a rock. Knowing her, that wasn't incredibly surprising. Grumbling at her mistake and rubbing the bruise forming on her forehead, she turned and marched a different direction, oblivious to the odd looks passing trolls gave her. Right, where was she? Oh yeah! Happiness about the grey troll's extension of the olive _branch_. She snorted and lightly flicked the side on her head at her own mental pun.

"Poppy?" She started where she stood, ears perking up at the familiar voice. For a moment, she thought she had run into Branch again, but the higher pitched, accented voice didn't fit. Too British. As she expected, a vibrant purple troll gracefully stepped out of the bushes, a kind and charming smile easily set in his features.

"Creek! Hi, what's up?" Poppy asked, a bright smile immediately fitting onto her face. The green haired guru shrugged a shoulder.

"Not much right now. I'd just finished teaching a yoga session with Biggie, Guy, and DJ," he replied, before a portion of his smile faltered as he awkwardly added, "I, uh, didn't see you, heh." Poppy immediately grew apologetic.

"Oh, shoot, I totally forgot! I'm so sorry, Creek!" The princess groaned, "I was just so caught up on my duties, it just completely slipped my mind." Creek raised his hands in a placating gesture.

"It's alright Poppy. I'm not upset. I understand you're busy sometimes. What were you doing anyway?" Poppy waved her hand airily.

"Oh, just gathering information on possible defense mechanisms to stake around the village premise, that's all." The purple troll looked at her blankly.

"Defense mechanisms? What for?" He asked, raising a brow. Poppy blinked at him, surprised.

"To keep out predators? So the disaster from last week doesn't happen again?" She raised a brow. Honestly, why else would she want high-security defenses around the village? I mean, _duh_. To make it look pretty? She didn't think so.

Creek's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, something that went unnoticed as she rolled her eyes. He bit his lip and glanced away, reaching up to rub the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Er, sorry, I didn't realize it was that serious," he muttered uneasily. _Not many people do_ , Poppy thought to herself, _Even me_. She almost snorted.

 _Especially me,_ she corrected.

"It's alright. It's just…" Poppy frowned as she struggled for a word, "...a bit stressful. I mean, after facing one of those fagrins head-on, you kinda feel anxious to make sure that sort of thing never happens again." She glanced up at her friend. "Y'know what I mean?" Creek looked stricken for a moment, before he honestly shook his head.

"I hid as soon as the shout went out that we were being attacked," he replied truthfully, "I never saw a fagrin." Surprise lifted her brow. That sounded very..cowardly...

"Oh," was all she could say in response. Silence settled awkwardly around them at that as Poppy averted her gaze, fiddling with her fingers anxiously while an uncomfortable heat prickled at her cheeks. This was weird. Awkward silences usually never occurred around her friends. Unable to stand the silence any longer she cleared her throat.

"I- uh, I gotta go meet up with my dad so we can get preparations in place," she said with a crooked smile. Creek mirrored her expression, easily accepting her flimsy excuse.

"Alright, I'll catch you later then."

"Bye Creek." She tossed a wave over her shoulder and skittered away as inconspicuously as she could manage. The purple troll gazed at her back as she retreated away, a frown slowly replacing his pleasant expression. The moment the princess stepped out of earshot, the bushes beside him rustled.

"So? What happened there?" Creek glanced to see Guy Diamond and Cooper peering at him through the bushes. He sighed and made a helpless gesture.

"I'm not sure," he said defeatedly, "Her aura was the brightest I've ever seen from her before, but I sensed it dimming as we spoke." Guy glanced down where Poppy disappeared to and stepped out upon not seeing her. Cooper copied him, closely followed by Smidge and Fuzzbert.

"Where was she before you talked to her?" The sparkly troll asked. Creek shrugged.

"Beats me." Fuzzbert suddenly began to jump up and down, chittering and burbling as he went. At the other boys' strange looks, Smidge spoke up.

"Fuzz said he saw her at the hospital," she boomed in translation. Cooper tilted his head to the side.

"Why would she be there?"

"Probably visiting some of the patients," Guy supplied, "I mean, I checked on my cousin yesterday morning. And Poppy's the princess, so it could happen."

Fuzzbert chattered again.

"Fuzz doesn't think that's it."

"And neither do I! She was in the hospital, she told me she was 'gathering information on possible defense mechanisms'," Creek said suspiciously, "How could she do that in a hospital? Sounds a lot like lying, doesn't it?"

"What!?" Guy cried, turning on the guru with a fierce frown, "How could you say that? She's our friend!"

"B-but," the other troll spluttered, glaring back, "still! Doesn't it seem a little odd?"

"Why don't we just go ask her?" Cooper asked suddenly, glancing between the two trolls worriedly.

"We should go right now," Smidge cut in, stepping between them, arms outstretched. Guy blinked down at her, before he sighed and nodded. Creek relaxed and glanced away, swallowing uncomfortably.

"Not now, later. She's busy," the green troll muttered, rubbing his arm. "Meeting up with her father or something like that." Guy gnawed at his cheek.

"Later, then. When we're sure she'll be free. Her meeting can't take any longer than an hour and a half, so let's meet at the base of her tree in a hour alright?" The other trolls nodded and murmured in agreement.

"Oh!" Cooper suddenly piped up, "Shouldn't we tell Satin and Chenille and DJ 'bout this?"

"I'll go do it. See you later guys," Smidge replied, waving goodbye as to the side she muttered, "c'mon Fuzz." Fuzzbert complied, twittering nonsensically as he skittered over to the tiny yellow troll. Creek and Guy glanced over at each other, grimacing as they quickly turned away.

"I'll, uh, just go, er," Creek strained, "meditate, I guess." Cooper and Guy glanced at each other.

"Alright, I'm gonna..visit my cousin again," the sparkly troll murmured. Cooper looked uncomfortable.

"'Kay, I'll just..hang with Harper then." They all winced. "Eh, see ya."

"Yeah, um, bye."

"See you later."

* * *

"So..we can't see her?" The Snack Pack, sans Poppy, stared in disbelief at the deep purple trolls stationed at the base of the Great Tree. The immense oaken structure loomed impressively over them, easily towering over the smaller, younger collowa trees populating the majority of the forest.

"Why?" Guy Diamond asked, stepping forward, arms spread in a questioning gesture. The first troll shrugged a shoulder.

"These were just our orders, bud. We don't ask questions about guarding doors," he answered gruffly, scratching his nose.

"The Council's holding an audience today," the second one spoke up, "with King Peppy and Princess about the fagrin attack last week. Wanted to finalize defense plans or y'know..." He shrugged. "Something like that." Guy gave a soft sigh and turned to the rest of the group.

"Well, I guess we can't see her today guys. We'll have to try tomorrow."

"Why can't we just wait 'till after the meeting?" Biggie asked suddenly.

"Mew," said Mr. Dinkles.

"You guys know how long Council meetings run," Creek replied. "She'll be out of there by one o'clock in the morning! Besides, she always exhausted after one of those things."

"Not to mention grouchy too," muttered Satin. The Snack Pack gave a good-humoured chuckle.

"Guy's right, we should try again tomorrow," said Chenille. The rest of them nodded in agreement.

"Tomorrow then. Same time, same place?"

"Sure!"

"We can do that. Right Mr. Dinkles?"

"Mew."

"Nflwnfownbahf."

Bracelets chimed and the group of friends immediately grinned and cried in unison.

"HUG TIME!"

As the mass of colorful trolls tackled each other to the ground, the guards snorted at their enthusiasm.

"Don't think I can remember back to when I was that young," the first guard chuckled, setting his pike against the tree.

"Me neither," agreed the other troll guard as he coolly accepted a hug from his co-worker, "makes you miss the glory days, don't it?"

"No kidding," replied the first as they returned to sir original posts, "but something tells me that those kids are gonna wind up in a whole mess of trouble."

"Didn't we all?" The first troll snorted.

"Oh, yeah."

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't anyone or anything at all..except for the things that I do. _Trolls_ belongs to _Dreamworks_ and yada, yada, yada..we get the gist.**

 **These amazingly awesome wait times? Learn to love them, for your sake more than mine.**

 **The need of school in hitting me harder than a truck right now, so writing time is incredibly limited. I'd literally just wrote half of this thing like...an hour ago in my time.**

 **And, uh, yeah. I know it's shit.**

 **HAPPY BIRTHDAY DRACO MALFOY.**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Floating...walking on air...I turn my head for just a moment and you're gone again...**_

* * *

 _I hummed as I walked down the forest path, cheer and mirth roiling happily within me. Warm, bright sunlight dappled the ground through the merrily swaying foliage, a sweet summer berry scent wafting through the breeze. I took a deep breath through my nose, savoring the tantalizingly fruity scent. Crowds of red and orange boogle flowers harmonized together as bugs and birds twittered and buzzed around me in a cacophony of animal noises, filling the air with a lively, upbeat rhythm. My heart felt light in my chest as a song threatened to burst from my lungs._

 _But then something caught my eye. A soft smudge of blue amongst loud splashes of bright yellows and joyous pinks. I crept closer, curiosity prodding at the forefront of my mind. The blueness shifted as I brushed aside the flora limiting my view._

 _Another Troll!_

 _Surprise lifted my brow. Strange. Other trolls usually don't come out this far into the forest. The only other troll-_

 _" **Well, you done done me and you bet I felt it.**_

 _ **I tried to be chill, but you so hot that I melted.**_

 _ **I fell right through the cracks,**_

 _ **Now I'm tryin' to get back...** "_

 _His singing cut off my train of thought in an instant, and my jaw dropped open as from the other troll came the most beautiful singing voice I had ever had the chance to hear. Honeyed, sweet tones fell like soft silk upon my ears and my heart began to pound against my chest. He sounded so..angelic. There was no other way to describe the lilting notes gracefully drifting through the air._

 _Who was he? I couldn't help but think._

 _" **Before the cool done run out,**_

 _ **I'll be givin' it my bestest,**_

 _ **An' nothin's gonna stop me but divine intervention.**_

 _ **I reckon it's again my turn,**_

 _ **To win some or learn some…** "_

 _He turned, shimmering crystalline blue eyes meeting mine as I gaped in complete and utter shock._

 _"Poppy?" He looked surprised to see me too, gaze blown wide open and mouth faintly parted. He glanced away with deep blue stain on his cheeks, his large hands nervously twining themselves together. I stepped closer, drinking in the incredible sight._

 _"Branch." But not my Branch. Not truly anyway. My Branch didn't sing. My Branch didn't even have color. But this Branch… Toned with varying shadeS of blue with a shock of soft-looking cobalt hair. Firm looking and flat stomached, he was quite the specimen. He looked back up at me, a soft, shyly sweet smile curling at his lips. My throat went dry as he began to walk forward._

 _A loud crackling suddenly sounded behind me and I turned, terror locking my joints stiff while a scream became lodged in my throat as the menacing form of a fagrin blotted out the sunshine, casting everything before it into shadow. It snarled viciously at me and lunged._

 _" **POPPY!** " I was flying, again, just like all my past dreams. I was skidding and rolling, cuts and bruises littering my body until I ceased movement._

 _Then I was screaming as the fagrin devoured everyone that I had ever loved._

* * *

Screaming. Waking. Crying. Running.

Why does this happen every night now? Was it like a never ending cycle?

No end in sight? Would she be doing this for the rest of her life? She had hoped not, but hoping currently didn't seem to be doing her any favors.

There were no good dreams. Only nightmares that could be slightly less worse than the others. She wondered if that was her fault. Probably was. Everything seemed to be her fault lately. Probably why she was sprinting like a maniac through the doors of the hospital right now, tears streaming down either side of her face as she ran to the only place she managed to find solace.

Branch was awake when she burst into his room, gasping sobs rattling her small form, her hair a wreck, and her face puffy and glistening from crying. The grey troll stared at her in complete and utter bafflement as she wheezed for breath in the middle of his room.

"Poppy…" She flinched at the sound her name, wild pink eyes flicking up to his grayish blue.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean t-to come here," she stammered, shakily straightening as she frantically rubbed at her eyes to hide her tears, "I-I'll just go-"

" _Come here._ " There was an air of command and finality around those simple words, despite the hushed tones his voice held. She froze for a moment, hot tears rolling lazily down her cheeks as her breath heaved and shoulder shook rapidly. Poppy bowed her head and obeyed, shuffling closer until she stood at the edge of his bed. He patted a spot next to him.

"Sit down," he murmured, and she again complied, perching herself upon the area he had designated. He was very close now, gazing at her calmly, gently. He raised his arms and held them open to her, a small, understanding smile on his face, and she began to sob again. The princess practically leapt into his arms, throwing her own around his neck as she buried herself deep within his offered comfort. His arms wound securely around her as the force of her movement made him lose balance and fall back onto the bed with a wince.

All throughout the duration of her shuddering sobs, he held onto her fast. Held on even when she ceased her crying and fell asleep in his embrace. Even as the wound his chest burned in agonizing protest, he would keep her there, and keep her safe. From fagrins, from bergens, from even herself, he would save her from them all.

Because he loved her, he realized, to the moon and back.

And he never wanted to let her go.

* * *

Branch woke to the feeling of being prodded, letting out an irritated groan as unintelligible hissing buzzed at his ears. A homey fuzziness tickled his stomach as he shifted against the warm pillow he lay snuggled up against. Something shook his shoulder and he winced at the disturbance. _What time is it?_ He thought groggily, _Surely it couldn't be morning yet, could it?_ He couldn't tell, probably because it was the last thing he wanted to do.

But seriously, why would anyone want to get up and do something when they were perfectly comfortable with doing nothing?

Ah, yes, a lazy-morning-Branch's logic is terrific and wise life advice that should be implemented at anytime, anywhere.

Not really.

" _You wake up this instant you slimy little cockroach!_ " The grey troll huffed and squinted up at the little mint troll glaring daggers at him.

"What?" He wheezed. He tried to get up, but found his legs tangled in his sheets and..someone else's..legs? Some of the fatigued fog muddling up his brain dispersed and he finally regained the ability to think relatively clearly. Branch attempted to rise once more, only to find that his arm had been pinned down too by…

Poppy? Relief seemed to flood him.

She was still here.

Branch paled as a sudden thought struck him.

 _I slept with the princess last night._

He grimaced inwardly.

 _Wow, that sounds terrible out of context._

Had he been alone, he would have smacked himself just for thinking that.

"You slept with the princess last night-"

 _Lady, I literally just finished thinking that._

"-and her friends are going nuts looking for her. King Peppy was a little concerned, but I went ahead told him that she was here. I just came back actually, though you might wanna get her up before a small army barges through here on the off-chance that Peppy might have told someone else," the doctor troll said, bossily crossing her arms.

Branch grimaced and worked to untangle his legs, struggling to ignore the soft feel of Poppy skin against his own. Beside him, Mint smirked as stains of cobalt blue painted themselves onto his cheeks. With his legs free and the snarky doctor ignored, Branch gently slid his arm from underneath Poppy's head and pried her fingers from his jacket. With that, he gingerly clambered off the bed and sighed as he tucked the princess back in. His fingertips lingered on her shoulder for just a heartbeat, before he tucked his chin in embarrassment and withdrew himself.

"There, better?" He asked, chancing a glance at the goofily grinning Mint. She waved her hand in a so-and-so manner.

"I was hoping for a kiss, but I guess that'll have to do," she said airily, snickering evilly as Branch gaped at her, his expression colored vividly with a warm shade of indigo.

"W-what?!"

"Nothing dear~," the small troll sing-songed, grinning madly, "just keep an eye on the princess would you?" She turned and saucily winked at him. "I know it's what you do best." The vines swished as she left, softly hissing.

Branch could only stare.

 _That itty bitch._

* * *

 **Hey! Schools out for me! (It's been out since last week but whatever.) And that means more writing time! Yay! (Until my big bros get back from college, which is like...next week.) Anyway, glad to be back and writing under considerably less pressure in the freezing depths of my isolated little hovel that is my bedroom! Yay! (I wanna die!)**

 **Note: I swear a shit ton. That being said, it shall be reflected in any story I do regardless of the character in the fanfic.**

 **Disclaimer: EVERY. FUCKING. THING. " _I'm Yours_ " by _Jason Mraz_. Song may be replaced, depending on what I wanna use it for. _Trolls_ belongs to _Dreamworks_ , " _My Nightmare_ " belongs to _Get Scared_ , aaaand we get the idea.**

 **EDIT: I forgot the beginning song lyric... );**


	8. Chapter 8

**_This is not the way it's supposed to be. I've lost it all._**

* * *

"Poppy."

Silence.

" _Poppy_."

Silence again. Branch sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling deeply before trying again to wake the troll princess. He shook her gently, calling out her name again. She moaned unhappily and rolled away from him.

" _Five more minutes…"_ She mumbled in a slur and the grey troll rolled his eyes.

"Poppy, it's almost noon," he tried to reason, only to receive a loud snore in response. Branch gave her sleeping form a deadpan look before grabbing the edge of the blankets, his blankets, and ripping them away from the bed, and from Poppy. She only gave an irritated huff and buried herself into his pillows, curling into a ball to preserve body heat.

"Poppy, you have to get up."

"But I don't wannaaaa…" She whined, curling up tighter. Branch huffed irritably, marched to other side of the bed, and began to prod at the troll princess. She grunted and started to swat at him.

"Your friends are worried sick looking for you." Another snort. Branch crossed his arms, staring down at her with an annoyed expression. He reached down and shook her shoulder more firmly as she grunted with displeasure, wriggling weakly away from him. The grey troll exhaled sharply, sitting himself on the edge of his bed and reaching forward, cupping his hand beneath the princess's cheek and lifting her face towards his. She peeked at him through her lashes, her nose scrunched slightly as she pouted at him. Branch fixed a firm, yet gentle, look into her eyes.

"Look, I know getting up is the last thing you want to do," he murmured, his soft and low voice sending excited shivers down Poppy's spine, "and I know that after last night's episode, you probably want some rest-" _Yeah, no kidding._ "-but you have to face the world sometime." One of his heartbreakingly charming and adorable smiles slowly made its way across his lips, and she couldn't help but be captivated by flush of his cheeks and the twinkling blues in his crystalline eyes. She gulped and looked away.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she choked out in a mumble, the grey troll's smile widening with relief.

 _Ugh, now she **had** to get up._ With a sigh, she stretched out and sat up, pushing drooping pink strands of her disheveled hair back into the pile on her head. Branch stood and offered his hand to help her off his bed, his lips still curled sweetly, his gaze warm with understanding. Flashing a grateful grin, Poppy reached for his hand, nearly flinching when jittery heat bolted up her arms and into her tummy as her hand closed in his. He lightly pulled her from the bed, her feet stumbling clumsily as soon as the hit the floor, prompting her to teeter forward into his arms with a surprised gasp. He was quick to catch her, pulling her close and stopping her fall. Her cheeks seemed to burn as she looked up at him, faces so close they shared their breaths, gazes locked, pupils blown wide and...

"Poppy!" Someone called from outside the room. Guy Diamond burst in through curtains, coating the vicinity in stray glitter as he grinned at the startled princess, dimly noting the grey troll against the opposite wall, arms crossed defensively as he stared blankly out the window. _Damn, that was fast._ "We've been looking everywhere for you! Where've you been?!"

"I-I, u-uh…" Poppy stammered, eyes darting from Guy to Branch several times in quick succession. She shook her head and quickly fixed a smile onto her face. "I was just visiting." Guy fixed her a strange look.

"All night?" Paling quickly, Poppy immediately shook her head.

"No, no, no! I came here a couple hours ago!" She tried to amend, but Guy merely furrowed his brow further in confusion.

"But I came around your pod with Smidge and Biggie at six in the morning Poppy," he said, gazing at her suspiciously, "and we didn't see you."

Crap. Now she was panicking. What was she supposed to say?

"She came down earlier to help out the staff with patients," Branch suddenly spoke, dragging his indifferent gaze over to Guy. His nose crinkled slightly in irritation as he said, "The princess has been bugging me ever since." Poppy stared at him in surprise, a slight twinge of hurt panging in her mind before she realized. _He's covering for me._ A fuzzy sort of warmth surged through her as she struggled to keep from gaping at him, choosing instead to tear her gaze away from the grey troll and give Guy a sheepish smile. Suspicion left Guy's expression, his happy-go-lucky grin sliding easily back into place.

"Aw, c'mon Branch! Bit of company'd never hurt anyone~!" Guy sang. Wincing at the sudden bout of Autotune, Branch scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," he grumbled, casting a sullen look out the window. Guy and Poppy exchanged grins.

"So Poppy, wanna go grab something to eat? It's almost lunchtime." The princess chanced a glance at the sulking grey troll, catching the brief flick of his eyes in her direction. After a couple heartbeats, she turned back to Guy with a smile.

"Sure!" She looked over her shoulder at Branch, her smile becoming softer as warmth filled her gaze, "See ya Branch." He rolled his eyes at her and turned away, but not before she saw a smirk curl across his lips. She began to walk away with Guy, that girlish, fluttery warmth disappearing the moment she left his room. _Strange_ , she thought, _how I only feel that with him._

 _Was that true?_ She remembered feeling fluttery around Creek. But that was years ago and now she felt fluttery around Branch. _Why?_ She wondered as she strolled beside Guy, chatting with only half a mind while her thoughts swirled around the enigmatic grey troll. That fluttery feeling. What was it? Did it mean that she _liked_ him?

 _Well, yeah, duh, she liked everybody._

Yes, but did she like, _like-like_ him? Poppy's stomach flopped and jitters returned. Flushing hotly, she squashed the feeling down and struggled to keep her attention on whatever story Guy was babbling on about. Something about the royal guards?

The thought vanished from her mind as her earlier turmoil flooded her brain once more. _Urg! No way!_ Branch was just her friend! There wasn't a chance that he could _like-like_ someone like **her** anyway. _They were too.. **different**..._

The sun chose then to hide behind the clouds, casting the entirety of Troll Village into a thin shade. Gloominess began to loom over her suddenly, and Guy stopped speaking. She didn't notice however, just stared straight ahead as she walked, trapped in her own musings, an unhappy droop to her eyes.

"Are you okay, Poppy?" Guy asked, concern settling deeper into his expression when she jumped at the sound of his voice. Her cheeks burned again as she settled her startled gaze onto the sparkly troll. Quickly, she averted her eyes, coughing into her fist.

"Yeah," she croaked with a nervous chuckle, "yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

Huh"You look really flushed! Are you sick?" He placed a glittery hand against her forehead. "Gee, Poppy you're burning up!" The princess shrank away from the other troll, covering her face in her hands.

"Let's just go grab something to eat!" She squeaked, the burning in her cheeks becoming nearly unbearable. How embarrassing! Guy gave her a worried sideways look, then a relieved and confused smile when it became clear that she wasn't sick, but something else entirely. That didn't stop him from wondering though.

 _What on earth could she have been thinking about to make her so flustered?_

Well, he could name a few things, but he doubted Poppy even knew what an or-

 _Nevermind._

His shoulders gave a tiny shudder and he coughed his own embarrassment away into his fist.

"Alright then," he conceded, noting the immediate show of relief in Poppy's expression. Sunshine suddenly poured out from behind the wall of cloud and lit up the world around them. The princess's entire being too seemed to brighten, her skin giving off her usually happy, bubbly glow as she turned and began to skip away.

"C'mon Guy Diamond!" Raising a brow at her sudden change of mood, he decided play along and pranced up to her side as she began to sing.

" _Sunshine, sunshine,_

 _Baby, sunshine~_ "

Soon, all worried thought escaped his mind as cheerful music enveloped the town.

* * *

 ***glances at date* Uh...**

 **Disclaimer: idontownanythingimsorryforusingeverytinthatisntmine aghnothingonhereisminesoimsorry. _Trolls_ belongs to _Dreamworks_ , " _It's Raining Sunshine_ " belongs to _Miranda Cosgrove_ , " _My Nightmare_ " belongs to _Get Scared_.**

 **Also, happy-incredibly-belated-birthday to Guest from the comments(or one of 'em anyway).**

 **And way to guilt trip me guys. I wrote the majority of this today and yesterday and summer sports just finished up so lucky you!** **Maybe...?**

 **Anyway, this story's getting too happy. Ima sadden it up a bit m'kay? M'kay.**

 **;)**

 **Feel free to R &R and tell me how I did!**


	9. Chapter 9

_**This is not what I expect from someone that I love.**_

* * *

Branch sighed wearily when the duo left the room, uncrossing his arms as he ran a hand through his onyx blue hair. The grey troll spared a glance towards the clock by the entryway, noting the positions of its hands. _Nearly noon_ , he thought with a wince. It was around noon when the Minty Menace, (as he liked to call her), flounced her way into his presence, bringing crushing despair and burning agony alongside her vile-smelling disinfectant. He huffed and crossed his arms at the thought of the tiny doctor, the little cretin.

Rolling his eyes, he glanced over his reflection in the mirror, gazing into his own vibrant, electric blue eyes. _Wait_. He did a double take. _What the…?!_ The baffled troll gaped at his mirror self, staring in awe at the bright colors adorning his eyes. A deep blue color, bordering indigo, ringed his irises, fading in intensity as it approached his pupil where a starburst of silver fanned around its blackness. _I...I'm dreaming_ , he realized, feeling a faint twinge of disappointment as releasing a breath he had been holding. Then he pinched himself.

 _Ow_.

…

 _Maybe not?_

His stomach twisted and churned while Branch gulped, frowning in confusion at his reflection, who merely glared back. He looked down at his hands, dimly noting their soft blue hue as he turned them over and back, almost desperately searching for even the faintest splotch of familiar grey skin, only to find nothing. His clothes too, looked brighter, taking on the appearance of fresh foliage.

 _My colors..they're coming back…_

A flush of excitement settled atop his cheeks and he smiled at the blossoming of color adorning his features. His body seemed to hum with a warm, gentle kind of happiness. Not so jumpy, bubbly like Poppy, but a cooler type of joy that was distinctly himself.

"Are you okay?" the doctor's worried voice asked behind him and he jumped at the sound, turning his head to peer down at her as she rolled a food trolley into the room.

"Yeah," Branch replied, wandering over, gazing at the drawers of the cart warily, "Why?" Mint's lips twitched as she worked to keep a smile from her face, the muscle in her jaw flexing and unflexing in her efforts.

"You're looking a little _blue_ ," she said, dropping the act and grinning madly. She promptly burst out laughing as Branch stared her, expression scrunched in confusion.

"What…?" The doctor only laughed harder. Branch watched as she crumpled to the floor in uncontrollable giggles. What really appalled him was the tickling urge to laugh as well that rose from deep within his chest. He suppressed it, however, but allowed himself to give a her confused, lopsided smile. Mint's laughter finally subsided after several minutes of obnoxious snorting, giggling, and wheezing.

"Woo-hoo-hoo-hoo, okay!" The doctor said breezily, her loopy expression instantaneously shifting into an eerie look of calm as she leveled a coolly smug gaze at him. "Bandage Time."

Branch groaned.

* * *

This time, much to Branch's relief, the bandage changing process didn't hurt much at all. There were no "accidental" stab wounds from any sort of knife or scissors, no unnecessary prodding at his wound to make him flinch and hiss, no ridiculous amount of bacterial disinfectant to make his injury sting on purpose (though that might not be a problem now that his cut had scabbed over), not even a single teasing remark was made about his "painfully obvious infatuation with the princess." (Her words, not his.)

Mint's cool, smug replacement attitude however, was still quite the stressor. The sneaky glances and stifled snickers only furthered his suspicions that sometime very soon, she was going to ask him something rather-

"Hey, Branch?"

 _Here it comes._ He stiffened a little as the doctor dabbed around the mostly healed cut with the cold disinfectant.

"What?" His muscles were stiffening, shrinking him away from Mint's malicious smirk.

"Knock, knock."

…

"What?"

"Knock, knock!" Branch openly gaped at her for a long moment. Then his gaze narrowed suspiciously, eyeing her oh-so-innocent, sugary sweet smile.

"No," he replied in a flat tone. The doctor stuck her tongue out at him and poked the scarring edges of his wound, eliciting hissing and swatting from the other troll. "Stop that!"

"Knock, knock!" The little mongrel insisted.

"Ugh, fine!" Branch relented, "Who's there?" The grin the bloomed onto her face made him regret his decision immediately.

"Hatch."

"Hatch who?"

" _Gesundheit_." At his disgusted grimace, she commenced to falling to the ground in fit of uncontainable giggles while he sat up and sighed, peering irritably down at her.

* * *

Thirty minutes later had him freshly wrapped in bandages and significantly peeved by the onslaught of terrible jokes, the last of which Mint was still snickering about. Branch grumbled inaudibly beneath his breath, arms crossed as he muttered unflattering comments towards the doctor, who still had that infuriating smirk plastered across her face as she put away her things.

She glanced at his fuming form every now and again, and he always met her gaze with a glare. She either responded with a snort, eyeroll, or a razzberry. This time it was the former two. After she turned away again, a soft, companionable silence lapsed between them as she busied herself once morse with setting her trolley to rights. It had look quite messier than normal when she had walked in here earlier. _Probably from this morning,_ he thought to himself. She'd mentioned that she took care of fussier patients in the mornings. He wasn't sure if she considered him a morning patient, but he liked to think that he wasn't quite as difficult to deal with than whoever put her trolley in disarray.

"So," she said, cutting into his inner musings, "when're you gonna ask out Poppy?" He promptly choked on the air he inhaled sharply.

Coughing harshly, he managed to strain out a strangled, " _What?!_ " Mint merely rolled her eyes.

"Come _on_ , lover boy." She rolled her eyes. "It's obvious that you're head over heels for her. I'm just asking when you're gonna make a move, that's all." Branch clenched his fists in his jacket, his cheeks becoming tinged with indigo.

"I don't-"

"Admit it Branch, you can't even try to deny it. You were _sleeping_ with her this _morning_." _Can't argue with that logic_ , he thought begrudgingly, feeling the flush in his cheeks creep up to his ears as he averted his gaze away from smirking troll. Branch gulped uncomfortably, finding himself unable to deny the truth. He just hoped Mint had a patient confidentiality policy.

"Alright!" He finally huffed exasperatedly before grumbling, "I _like_ Poppy." That irritatingly smug smirk was so swiftly replaced by a genuinely happy smile that Branch had to blink a few times until he realized her expression changed.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" The doctor asked, her tone still chipper and incredibly annoying, "Now, step two: Get the girl." The grey troll stared at her blankly for a long moment. Mint obnoxiously grinned back.

Without another word, Branch got up and walked out of the room. She blinked after him, watching in surprise as he disappeared behind the viney entranceway.

"Hey!" She cried in outrage after realizing what had happened, standing and racing through the curtains. "Get back here!"

* * *

So, how're the patients doing?" Guy Diamond inquired as they walked away from the diminishing crowd, startling Poppy out of her thoughts. She gave an awkward chuckle to hide her jumpy reaction.

"O-oh, they're getting better. They receive a lot of care and love from the workers, the children patients especially. They're in good hands," she replied with a bright smile. The princess looked ahead once more, asking, "Where are we going now?"

"The rest of the Pack wanted to hang with you down by the Meadow Springs," he said, adding with a sheepish smile and gesture towards her clothes, "You don't have to swim if you don't want to. We know how much you love your dress."

Poppy's smile softened, her gaze flicking down at the felty blue material. _It was your mother's_ , she remembered her father saying fondly, _You look lovely sweetheart._ His smile looked sad, as if he were remembering something, his eyes holding a faint watery shine. She would never forgive herself if she were to ruin it. The princess raised her eyes to Guy again, shrugging a shoulder.

"It's alright," she responded, toying with the hem with her fingertips, "I could just take it off." Guy shrugged, but didn't comment as they neared the edge of the village, both trolls ducking into the thick bushes concealing the path to the Meadow Springs. The trail was worn by years of use, void of plant life and littered with small stones half buried by powdery dirt. They continued their hike ducking beneath stray fronds and stepping over fallen twigs and large rocks.

"So, why were you visiting Branch?" Guy asked conversationally, adding, "the usual stuff aside." He noted Poppy's start and reddened cheeks at the topic with raised eyebrows and piqued interest. Her nervous laugh was also startling. He'd never heard laugh like that.

"Uh, heh, w-well," she stammered, reaching back a hand to scratch the back of her neck, "I guess I just, uh..wanted to thank him for…" She glanced toward the path, her expression softening, "...y'know..saving my life." Guy Diamond felt a pang of guilt poke at the back of his mind. He supposed he should have thanked Branch too. Without the grumpy grey troll, Poppy wouldn't be walking next to him. In fact, nearly an eighth of the village _at least_ would be six feet under as well, and that's being optimistic with the numbers. Instead, of course, he'd mocked and insulted the anxious troll. Alost never out loud, yeah, but he still did it. Guy sighed inwardly. Branch may be grumpy and mean and unenthusiastic about pretty much anything "troll-like", but Guy couldn't deny that the grey troll was a good person, inside at least. The sparkly troll was so lost in thought that he hadn't realized that Poppy had been speaking.

"...and he hugged me back! Though he did seem really awkward about it. I'll just have to hug him more, then he should start to get used to it. Right, Guy?" Guy Diamond blinked and looked over at the exuberant pink troll.

Flushing with embarrassment and shame for not hearing a smile word his friend said, Guy replied, "Sure." That seemed to be the answer Poppy was looking for, because she brightened even further. Literally. Her smile was wide across her cheeks, eyes shining with excitement as she washed her surroundings with jubilant pink glow that seemed to emanate from her body. Surprise was undoubtedly etched into every corner of Guy's face as he gaped at her, unable to recall a time where he had ever seen her so happy. What was she even talking to him about? Surely the mysterious topic was the one behind her nervous stuttering and joyous glowing. He cursed himself for not knowing. Poppy let out a giggle, garnering the sparkly troll's attention as she began to skip forward.

"C'mon Guy!" She called behind her, "We're almost there!" Sighing with a small smile, Guy picked up the pace behind her and was soon running beside her. She still skipped, somehow keeping up with him despite the inefficiency of the movement. Probably due to her physically fit body. Guy Diamond winced inwardly, the existence of his beer belly and love handles becoming all too noticeable. Maybe he should work out. He snorted to himself at the incredulousness of the notion. Nah. He was cuter and cuddlier just the way he was.

The duo skittered along the dusty path, inching closer and closer to the meadow. Music flittered faintly in the air, an undertone of jubilant chatter mingling with the upbeat tones. The musky scent of damp foliage clung to the cool forest air as they neared the last bush separating them from the springs. The two trolls grinned at one another before bursting with happy shouts through the leaves into the hot and humid clearing.

* * *

 **For the record, this long awaited update was _not_ entirely my fault. I'm sure you don't care for details, I'm just putting it out there that this story would've been updated a long, _long_ time ago if SOMEONE (my brother) didn't take AND HIDE the ONLY THING I WRITE ON (my iPad).**

 **Also, I would like to point out that this story is T-rated for several reasons.**

 **Swearing; The characters in this story swear, mainly within their own minds, but the adult characters may let a few slip out. I realize that there are young readers on Fanfiction, but there are worse things on the Internet that I can't stop from encountering strong language so I don't see the point in censorship because this is a T-rated story for goodness sake. If children are reading this, then I hope you take note of any S.A.T. words 'cause you'll need 'em when you're older. And to anyone still opposed to my response, I will _try_ to cut back on swearing, I guess. I mean, I have no sympathy for any innocent-minded child who stumbles across a story with a shit-talking author who drops the f-bomb every...( _psst, have I used the f-bomb in any chapter yet? Author's notes aside of course_.) Anyway, I have no sympathy because I read my first smut fic when I was _eleven_. Granted that was a terrible idea because I literally died laughing because _that's really what they do? Why would anyone wanna do that?! It's so stupid!_ Yeah, no fucks given here with swearing a'ight?**

 **Death is also present in this story by the way. Granted the only deaths that have taken place so far are within someone's mind and were written out in five words or less, but that shouldn't take away from the gravity of the point. So, uh, trigger warning?**

 **Anyway, here's the update that should have come but didn't.**

 ***glances at reviews***

 **...**

 ***sweatdrops***

 **Heh...heh...**

 ***runs***


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